Magnetic spin based memory with semiconductor selector
OwnerMark B. Johnsoninventor
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Abstract
A new nonvolatile hybrid memory cell is provided. The cell is comprised of a magnetic spin storage element and one or two semiconductor FET isolation elements. The magnetic spin storage element is an electron spin-based memory element situated on a silicon based substrate and includes a first ferromagnetic layer with a changeable magnetization state, and a second ferromagnetic layer with a non-changeable magnetization state. A current of spin polarized electrons has a magnitude which can be varied so that a data value can be stored in the memory element by varying a relative orientation of the two ferromagnetic layers.
Claims27
A hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell comprising:
- a memory element configured to transport a current of spin polarized electrons including:
- i) a first ferromagnetic layer with a first magnetization state;
- ii) a second ferromagnetic layer with a second magnetization state;
- wherein a magnitude of said current of spin polarized electrons varies in accordance with a relationship between said first magnetization state and said second magnetization state and corresponds to a data value stored in the hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell;
- a memory element selector coupled to said electron spin-based memory element to isolate said data value, said memory element selector including a semiconductor based transistor which is situated on a silicon based substrate and responds to a read signal for determining said data value.
A hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell comprising:
- a memory element situated over a silicon based substrate and which is configured to transport a current of spin polarized electrons, including:
- i) a first ferromagnetic layer with a first changeable magnetization state comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt;
- ii) a second ferromagnetic layer with a second non-changeable magnetization state also comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt and which conducts said spin current;
- wherein a magnitude of a spin polarized current passing through both said first ferromagnetic layer a second ferromagnetic layer can be varied to store a data value in said memory cell having at least two logic levels;
- a memory cell selector coupled to said electron spin-based memory, said memory cell selector including a semiconductor based isolation element which can be activated to read said data value.
A hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell comprising:
- a memory element situated over a silicon based substrate and which is configured to transport a current of spin polarized electrons, including:
- i) a first ferromagnetic layer with a changeable magnetization state comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt;
- ii) a second ferromagnetic layer with a non-changeable magnetization state also comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt;
- iii) a low transmission barrier interface between said first ferromagnetic layer and said second ferromagnetic layer;
- wherein said current of spin polarized electrons has a magnitude which can be varied so that a data value can be stored in the memory element by varying a relative orientation of said changeable magnetization state and said non-changeable magnetization state;
- a memory cell selector coupled to said memory element, said memory cell selector including a semiconductor based isolation element which is activated to determine said data value by comparing an output voltage of said memory element with a reference voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.